mood and self-esteem only when in the presence of those who shared their stigma; however, they were significantly less likely to experience such occasions compared to those with visible stigmas (Frable, Platt, & Hoey, 1998). Fears of rejection and negative evaluation lead individuals with concealed stigmas to avoid entering close relationships for fear of others’ discovering their stigma (Pachankis, 2008). Although this avoidance enables them to escape rejection, research indicates that secret-keeping leads to more loneliness, introversion and social anxiety, compared to those who do not keep secrets (Kelly, 1998).
